Update: as of 5:30 p.m., fire personnel were back burning to the fire line to contain the blaze, which appeared mostly extinguished, though sporadic flames licked the trees in the heavy brush river area.
A growing wildfire just south of Riverton reported Saturday afternoon has jumped the Wind River and has prompted an immediate evacuation order for residents in its path.
The fire, dubbed the Rein Fire, has consumed more than 100 acres and is burning in vegetation south of Rein Road and Railroad Avenue just outside Riverton’s city limits, the Interagency Fire Information Center reports.
Multiple firefighting agencies are on scene battling the blaze, which is chewing through terrain left very dry and fire-prone after a record-warm winter with little snow.
Darren Clifford is a retired wildland firefighter who lives in Riverton and runs the popular Caught the Fire Bug Facebook page, where he tracks and reports on Wyoming wildfires.
He noticed the smoke from it and called to report the fire at 1:57 p.m., he told Cowboy State Daily, adding that several other people also reported it earlier.
“We’re just watching it slowly here to see what happens,” he said. “It’s super dry out there — super, super dry. It’s all open field out there between where the fire ignited.
“There’s also a bunch of houses and housing near the area.”
Clifford said he hasn’t heard if any structures have burned, but that the evacuation zone includes the Chemtrade sulfuric acid plant.
Leave Now
Fremont County Emergency Management Coordinator Milan Vinich issued the evacuation order at 3:09 p.m. Saturday.
It includes all land east of Red Crow Lane to Highway 789 and the area north of Goes In Lodge Road south to the acid plant and east of 789.
“Please be advised that … evacuation is mandatory at this level, DO NOT hesitate to evacuate now,” Vinich says in his statement.
He advises that if you’re in the area and haven’t left, leave “without delay,” don’t stop to gather additional belongings or return until officials have lifted the evacuation order.
“If you chose not to leave, first responders may not be able to rescue you,” the statement adds.
The Weather
The fire is “well over 100 acres” and crews are working to protect buildings and structures first, according to a report from the Riverton Volunteer Fire Department.
No structures have been lost so far and no injuries have been reported, the agency says, adding that people are urged to avoid the area.
“We will be working throughout the night,” according to the department.
The weather has elevated the fire risk significantly in the Riverton area and across much of Wyoming, said Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day.
“It’s going to remain dry and windy, so the fire danger is going to be elevated here for the next couple of days,” he said Saturday. “Temperatures have been in the 50s and low 60s for several days, and are probably in that same range again today and will be there tomorrow.”
He said the weather is finally going to turn more wintery next week.
“It’s going to start feeling a little more like winter here come Tuesday or Wednesday,” Day said. “The weather pattern is finally — I mean finally — showing signs it’s going to get a little more winter-like.”
The National Interagency Fire Center lists the fire as human caused. No containment is reported.
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
